Back to Corinth: 1 Cor. 15: 1-56

Verse 8: “Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of time.”

In the movie The Avengers, in the scene where Captain America first faces off against Loki in Stuttgart, Germany, Loki addresses him as “The soldier. The man out of time.” Those who know the origin of Captain America will remember that, although he fought in World War II, due to a freak accident, he was frozen into suspended animation, and thawed out alive in the modern day. I was reminded of that scene when I read today’s verse.

My wife and I have sometimes discussed how, compared to a lot of modern society, we feel out of place due to our old-fashioned upbringing and morals. Sometimes, we have reminisced about how it be interesting to go back in time and see how society was: the society where our morals and standards would fit in more.

Paul is reciting to the Corinthian church about all the eyewitnesses to seeing the risen Savior. He mentions he was last to see Him, as if he was born out of time (the NIV translation says of one being abnormally born). He goes on to mention that he considers himself the least of the apostles because of his history. But, remember, Jesus forgave him. He used Paul to become one of the greatest missionaries to ever walk the earth (literally walk!)

The next time you feel like someone who’s “out of time”, remember God has you at the exact point in history that He wants you. Especially in the strange times in which we are living, remember: we may be the only example of Jesus others need to see…a light in a dark world.

Something to think about.

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Ephesians 6:13-17

Verse 13: “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

I remember Captain America 301, the issue after 300 (the supposedly final fight between an artificially-aged Cap versus a dying Red Skull). In it, the Avengers attempted to use the Red Skull’s machine devices that had aged Captain America to try and restore his youth. During the process, the Skull’s daughter, Mother Superior, and her attack force, the Sisters of Sin, invaded the treatment chamber. The Avengers couldn’t enter to help Cap; it could possibly upset the restoration process and doom Cap. The aged Captain has to fight as best he can. At one point, only Mother Superior is left. I remember this “heroic” moment, as Cap forces himself to stand to face her, and she just can’t believe he’s actually standing defiantly before her. A blinding flash illuminates the room, making it impossible to see. The Vision signals that the process is complete; the Avengers burst in to find Cap restored to his youthful age and the Sisters of Sin returned to their pre-adolescent ages (they, too, had been artificially aged into adults by the Red Skull).

This is an oft-used theme in dramatic heroic conflicts in fiction; the hero, against impossible odds, rising again to stand against evil.

However, when we are clothed in all of the pieces of the armor of God, we too can stand against our supernatural enemy, the devil. We can’t face him alone. But when you have Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and go out to fight those battles fully prepared, you too will “be able to withstand in the evil day”.

A side note here: please check out archived entries in this blog for a short study that God led me to share on the armor of God.

Something to think about today.

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Ephesians 2:10-13

Verse 10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

In the movie The Avengers, Loki is speaking to the mob he has herded into the street in Stuttgart after ordering them to kneel; among other things he arrogantly insults humanity by stating “you were made to be ruled.” One older German man rises and replies back, “not to men like you.” The reference was clear in his reply to another time and another tyrant. Of course, Captain America, who leaps in to save him from Loki’s blast, echoes his reply: “You know, the last time I was in Germany, and I saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing.” (The movie quotes can be found at http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Avengers_(2012_film) .)

In the verse above, Paul reminds the Ephesians that we were “created in Christ Jesus for good works”. Now, this doesn’t mean we do good works on our own, and that gets us into Heaven. As pointed out in a statement in the Holman Concordance on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians (page 113): “It means God does a good work through us as we are faithful and obedient to Him. God is at work. In faith we join Him in that work to the praise of His glory.”

Now that is a feeling of almost like none other…to be used by God to do good! Or to echo what the old Winter Warlock said in Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town (1970 by Rankin-Bass)…(you remember the musical number after Kris Kringle’s gift to him melts his icy heart and changes his outlook from bad to good):

“If I want to change the reflection
I see in the mirror each morn,
You mean that it’s just my election
To vote for a chance to be reborn?
Wah-hoo!”

Have you made that election? Ready to be made for good works…in Him?

Something to think about.

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